Past Cases

Non-Litigation Advocacy On November 14, 2016, NYLAG submitted public comments in proceedings before the New York State Public Service Commission (“Commission”) regarding the unlawful and abusive practices in bringing so-called “replevin” actions to seize the electrical meters of customers in arrears. The comments were submitted in connection with a petition filed by the Public Utility […]

NYLAG filed Bailey v. Lynch in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to challenge a decision made by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration & Customs Enforcement, to reinstate a seventeen-year old order of removal issued without providing Ms. Bailey an opportunity to seek relief.

Johnson v. Shah was filed in April 2011 against the New York State Department of Health (“DOH”), the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (“OTDA”), the New York City Human Resources Administration (“HRA”) and two Certified Home Health Agencies (“CHHAs”), Personal-Touch Home Care Inc. and Americare Certified Special Services Inc., on behalf of a class of recipients of certified home health care services, challenging 1) the Defendant CHHAs’ pattern and practice of reducing patients’ services without a medical justification for the reduction and without notice and an opportunity for a Fair Hearing and Aid Continuing and 2) the State and City Defendants’ failure to prevent these practices. Spitzer v. Shah was filed in July 2011 as a case related to Johnson v. Shah.

NYLAG filed Strouchler v. Shah in June 2012 against the New York City Human Resources Administration and New York State Department of Health, challenging a policy and practice of reducing and terminating Medicaid-funded personal care services to over a thousand New York City residents who receive such services twenty-four hours per day. These reductions and terminations of medically necessary home care jeopardized the ability of vulnerable New Yorkers to remain in their community, and forced many to choose between receiving inadequate care at home and entering a nursing home.

NYLAG filed this class action in 2010 against the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) and the Department of Homeland Security on behalf of a class of immigrants granted asylum in the United States who are seeking to bring their spouses and children to this country.

Shakhnes v. Eggleston was filed in 2006 against the New York City Human Resources Administration (“HRA”), the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and the New York State Department of Health (“State Defendants”) challenging the failure of New York City and State to provide Medicaid-funded home health care applicants and recipients with final administrative action within 90 days of a fair hearing request; timely and adequate notice of adverse actions concerning Medicaid-funded home health care; and “aid continuing” when Medicaid-funded home health care recipients timely request fair hearings, as required by law and regulations.

Reynolds v. Giuliani, filed in 1998, challenged policies and practices of the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) at “Job Centers” that discouraged, deterred, and/or prevented applicants for expedited and regular Food Stamps, pre-investigation cash grants, ongoing cash public assistance, and Medicaid from applying for such assistance. The lawsuit also sought to prevent the conversion of additional Income Support Centers to “Job Centers” until the City implemented a plan of correction designed to correct these deficiencies, and it challenged New York State’s failure to adequately supervise the City.

This class action was filed in 2005, challenging the wrongful denial of public benefits, including cash public assistance, food stamps and Medicaid, to certain categories of immigrants. The plaintiff class includes immigrant victims of domestic violence, individuals who are Permanently Residing under Color of Law (“PRUCOL”) and lawful permanent residents (green card holders).

This class action was filed in August 2010 against NYC Human Resources Administration and NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, on behalf of thousands of recipients of Safety Net Assistance living in households with children, whose public assistance benefits were unlawfully reduced or discontinued pursuant to incorrect and deficient notices that imposed excessively long sanctions for alleged violations of the public assistance employment requirements.

This class action was filed in 2002 on behalf of mobility-impaired applicants to and participants in the New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”) Section 8 Program, challenging NYCHA’s failure to provide reasonable accommodations. In 2005, the case was consolidated with a similar case from the 1980s, Heyer v. NYCHA, in which a class had been certified and a settlement reached but never enforced.

This class action was filed in April 2007 challenging Adult Protective Services’ systemic failure to provide mandated services to mentally and physically disabled adults who are unable to protect themselves from harm.

This class action was filed in 2006 against the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) on behalf of a class of lawful permanent residents challenging unreasonable delays in the processing of their naturalization applications.

Vega v. Eggleston was filed in New York Supreme Court and challenged the intake practices of Adult Protective Services, the New York City agency responsible for protecting from harm anyone who, because of a physical or mental disability, is unable to protect himself or herself, and who has no one who is willing or able to assist them.

NYLAG filed Rivera v. Bane in New York State Supreme Court in 1994. Following trial, the Court ordered the City (the New York City Human Resources Administration (“HRA”)) to provide copies of evidence packets before fair hearings when timely requested by a fair hearing appellant.

Milanes was filed in 2008 against the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) on behalf of a class of lawful permanent residents challenging unreasonable delays in the processing of their naturalization applications and USCIS’s policy, implemented in 2002, of refusing to adjudicate naturalization applications without waiting for the results of the FBI name check and dramatically expanding the scope of the FBI name check.

Gorovets v. Chertoff was filed in 2008 challenging the United States Immigration and Citizenship Services’ (“USCIS”) policy of automatically denying green card applications submitted by husbands and wives of American citizens married for less than two years at the time their spouses died, solely because their citizen spouse died before USCIS processed the applications, in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Gill v. Page was filed in 2000 against the United States Department of Education (“USED”) on behalf of students of proprietary vocational schools who sought and were denied discharges of their defaulted student loans.

NYLAG filed Bernam v. Daines in June 2010 against the New York State Department of Health, the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and Family Care Certified Services on behalf of Medicaid-funded applicants and recipients of certified home health aide (“CHHA”) services who sought to contest reductions, denials, or terminations of their care.

In 2001, NYLAG filed this class action challenging New York City’s failure to tell applicants and recipients that such sanctions are temporary and can be lifted as soon as they cooperate, as well as the City’s failure to lift sanctions promptly when sanctioned individuals are willing to cooperate.

Client Stories: Doris

Doris, a mother of three, came into the Legal Hand office looking for help finding affordable housing because she had been told by her landlord that she had to move out of her apartment by the end of the month.